So… yeah… This comic hasn’t updated in a while… Solutions?

Alright, for those who still check this site, I do apologize. I hate leaving projects unfinished.

The Ramble…

The sad truth is that I purely don’t have time to work on this comic, as I have other projects that have a higher potential for both earning, as well as success. That being The Webcast Beacon Network and Ardra.

I’m incredibly behind on PSI and The Shifter Archive, and I wish I had more time. Lately I’ve been trying to keep track of the time I spend working on all of the “Fesworks, LLC” stuff. With the time I spend now to get proper sleep, and the time I spend at work, and the times I can spend with my girlfriend… Honestly, I’d really have no time for myself to just no do anything, if I maximized my time to set time aside for EVERY project, each week. I’m not kidding when I say my “Fesworks, LLC” stuff is a part time job (that pays poorly).

Of course, wasn’t it a hobby? Sure was. At first. But If I want to really keep doing what I’m doing, I need to make it worth my time to do it. Though I would much rather get a podcasting crew to takeover many aspects for me on The Webcast Beacon Network, so I can concentrate on other things more important to me.

What is to become of PSI?

Well… There are a few options. Honestly, I DO want to continue this comic, but I also want to redo the whole thing to make a better story, streamlined, for a print version. With the same characters I’ve loved creating and working with for the past 5-6 years. Lots of people already know this.

But what about the audience I already had? Albeit a very, very small audience, but still an audience nonetheless. What would you guys want to see?

I mean, I can’t expect you all to wait around for me to remake the comic (which would have basically the same story, tightened up, and actually would be precisely same content after the mall sequence…. meaning that everything now, and in the future of the comic would be the same in the remake, more or less).

So, what would people want? I could possibly attempt to do really sloppy, sketchy drawings that progresses the story from here on… who knows, it might get me back into drawing properly. And maybe actually get back to practicing so my art gets better and I can really define my style more. Anyway, they would be sporadic updates at best…. but I would try to at least HAVE updates.

Another idea would be to give people an outline, or a short write-up of what would happen after this point (as of PSI update 495), but I am less inclined to get spell it out… at least publicly on the site. I feel like… if I just TELL you, then I may not be as motivated to show you. Additionally, it’s always likely that if I ever get drawing it all again, it could change. At many points in the comic, I have changed script last minute because of things working better another way.

Still, maybe a basic outline would work. I have a plan that would basically get Nemi and the guys to a resolving conclusion (with a possible set up for a continuation).

14 Responses

How long do you expect the remake to take? While some comics did successfully remaked, many died completely while attempting to remake. On the other hand, not posting anything for 10 months looks very similar to dieing …

And yes, giving outline might make you less motivated to continue, but if the motivation is already not enough to continue …

… ok, I dunno too, I just wanted to write something to show you still have some audience.

Since the remake of PSI would cut out huge portions of webcomic jumping, and just focus on Fes, Ernst, and Nemi, It’s not really a complete rewrite, meaning I would probably cut at LEAST a third of the archive from it. The point is to put together something I can print and have something I totally did myself, etc. Versus… let’s face it… the incredible mess that PSI currently is, and prohibitive to gaining any real audience.

As far as PSI “dying”… I think it’s been doing that already by just sitting here. The comic’s numbers were never anything big, so it’s not like I’d have to start over with much.

Also, its not a matter of motivation to continue PSI (properly), it’s purely the logistics of time. I simply don’t have time to invest in working on a comic that does not pull much of an earning in (versus Ardra and WCBN… which is not much of anything, but has higher potential). I just don’t don;t have the time to do the proper job…. which is why I suggested quick and sloppy sketches, so I can get at least something out. I’m hoping I can build up to at least proper line art, but proper coloring and all that, with regular updates? I just can’t commit to that right now.

I actually liked the jumping, on the other hand many of those crossovers looked like I missed many pages including the conclusion. And while I might really miss something, I’m afraid often those pages weren’t produced due to the authors having too little time.

And yes, I commented that the PSI looks dying already.

It IS matter of motivation. I mean, I don’t seriously expect you to become hermit and dedicate all your live to PSI, but if you were motivated enough you would do it. Heck, you yourself said that mere cash could motivate you to invest more time to PSI. If I believed you can get money by printing PSI, I would recomend you to do that because those money would motivate you to continue with it, but I’m afraid your comics is not SO good and in current economy … of course, you would know more about how much money are you getting, but I know I would not buy ANY printed comics unless they have it in convenience store across the street and so far I’m only one who responded.

Perhaps you should try to do few of those quick and sloppy sketches, to get me and hopefully other readers example of how it would look (some of sketches you did in crossover war looked better that some other comics regular style) and yourself better idea of how much time it will take. I mean, if you find out you don’t have even time for those sketches, no point in asking if you should try them …

(Also, by putting something in category “comic” in RSS you may get readers who previously blocked the blog in their RSS reader.)

Ok, Let’s try this again, though I’ll abridge what I originally typed:

1- I love the 4th wall and webcomic jumping. The webcomic will always have these. For the print, I want to focus on the “main story” of the comic.

2- The print would start with Fes and Ernst at their job (which we’ve not seen before), then a camping trip, and meeting Nemi, etc.

3- The print would exclude all or near all of the webcomic/dimension jumping, and all of the 4th wall breaking. This effectively reduces the page count. Oh, and the zombie storyline will likely not be in there either.

4- The print would focus on a dramatic story (something that would be much more in line with the original intention of the comic, and of it’s title!)

5- The print is mostly for me. For a tangible “I did this” proof of my writing and art. As well as something to gift to friends and family; and maybe sell at cons, etc.

6- It’s really not a matter of motivation, as much as it is of TIME. As well as “what should I do? Move forward, or just start over now?” as far as trying to best utilize my time to do SOMETHING with PSI.

7- PSI never had wide readership, and it’s likely I lost all but a handful. I do appreciate you replying. Still not sure what I am going to do just yet. I should probably write up an outline, and post it somewhere and provide people with a link that would like to know what will happen. I can at least satisfy some people as I plot my next move.

I’d go for the rough sketch idea…. as you said, it’d help keep the whole thing ‘alive’ for you while minimising the time required. It’d also allow you to flesh out your script as you go and make it easy to retcon any changes if you find you write yourself into a ‘hole’ every once in a while as you go and avoiding having to ‘junk’ artwork that had taken chunks of your valuable time. I have seen some people basically produce a ‘storyboard’ type sketch webcomic as a support for a detailed narrative story and that has worked quite well as the groundwork for the later artwork.

I just found this web comic, now I discover it is going on hiatus. I cannot tell you how conflicted I am about this. I want you to have; a real life, a chance with your partner, chance to send it to print. But I would also like to see the comic continue, even sporadically. Only, … Web comics that don’t do a regular schedule, … Well they don’t do much for me, it is hard to stay invested in the characters that yu only see once in a while…. And some of your characters are a lot of fun! Came to yu from Kaspall, and fell in love. Get a life, have a life nutty it, life is crazy short and totally unpredictable. Do something for yourself.

If I ever start really updating this comic again, I’ll be placing PW ads around, so, who knows. But for now, I can’t see myself coming back to this comic because I have other projects that are priority in my creative belt.